Two villages in Kursk province have been liberated, RT reported, citing the Russian Ministry of National Defense at a regular press conference on September 16.
Russian forces are pushing back Ukrainian troops in Kursk province from several directions, the Ministry of National Defence added.
The report of the Russian Ministry of National Defense highlighted the liberation of two Russian settlements from the Ukrainian army. One of them, Uspenovka, is located 24km west of the town of Sudzha. Sudzha is the center of Kiev's offensive. The other settlement, Borky, is 14km southeast of Sudzha.
The ministry also listed seven other villages where nearby Ukrainian units were said to have been defeated in the past 24 hours, including one just 11km south of Sudzha.
Kiev has sent thousands of troops across its northern border into Russia’s Kursk region since August 6. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the operation was part of a “victory plan” he plans to submit to the US government for consideration this month. US support is understood to be crucial for Ukraine to implement its strategy.
According to the latest Russian estimates, the number of Ukrainian casualties in the Kursk operation has reached 13,800.
Last week, the Russian military announced the liberation of 10 settlements in Kursk. President Zelensky confirmed the Russian counterattack, stating that Ukraine had planned accordingly.
Earlier on September 16, Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) accused Kiev of considering staging a diversionary attack on a children's facility on its territory and blaming it on Russia.
Accusing Russia of “inhumane provocations” would help the Ukrainian government put pressure on the United States and its allies to be allowed to use their weapons for long-range strikes deep inside Russia, the SVR said.
